Directing
In the midst of a global epidemic that causes a delay of sight from sound, a retiring hitman must honor one last mission: eliminate the city's biggest supplier of spid, a potent drug that syncs one's senses.
In Age of Blight, 12 Asian filmmakers capture and imagine life under the pandemic, from the hospital corridors of Marawi to protest rallies in the streets of Bangkok. The film mirrors light amidst the chaos and darkness, life in the face of death. Participating filmmakers are Mervine Aquino (Philippines), Bagane Fiola (Philippines), Daniel Rudi Haryanto (Indonesia), Hassanodden Hashim (Philippines), Gladys Ng (Singapore), Nontawat Numbenchapol (Thailand), Carla Pulido Ocampo (Philippines), Edmund Telmo (Philippines), Mark Lester Valle (Philippines), Ligaya Villablanca (Philippines), Takayuki Yoshida (Japan), and Abdul Zainidi (Brunei). Edited and assembled by John Torres (Philippines).
Marcos then, Marcos now. Filipino workers unite and lead the struggle for economic and political rights, determined to shape the course of history. In between, a janitor painstakingly rewinds videotapes featuring these struggles, unknowingly aiding in the preservation of history.
Mervine AQUINO and his mother rummage into unpacked boxes of belongings, looking for their old home video tapes. Only one tape is found. Missing Cassettes salvages what remains of video memories, seeking to make sense of moments now obsolete and barely playable.
The film recounts experiences within the Baguio Public Market during the COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s community quarantine. Through the words and images of vendors and market-goers, the film looks into the history of the space and its possible future with the impending redevelopment and modernization undertaken by the city government and a large conglomerate.
Mila struggles as she remains unpaid at work and finds comfort in a love interest through his constant phone calls.
The filmmaker and his mother recount memories of their old homes and the family’s repetitive experiences of packing (and unpacking), moving, and accumulating things over the years. They try to imagine and describe a “dream house” and await the possibility of owning a house in the future.
When Kiko finally decides to sing at the videoke, the electricity goes out. Interlude is a portrait of a family gathering in a rural home.
